Mold in the basement or cellar, similar to cotton wool, can often be found.
This is due to high humidity and poor ventilation. Many people no longer pay attention to mold in the basement and cellar. And in vain, because disgusting stains on the walls and ceiling not only spoil the appearance, but can also cause enormous damage to human health. In addition, food stored in the cellar suffers from this. White mold in the basement can spread to any other items and multiply very actively, which greatly reduces the shelf life of products. If white mold is found in the basement like cotton wool , you should definitely start destroying it. This article will help you do this correctly to make it impossible for the white mold parasite to reappear.
What is mold
Fungal colonies that develop from spores are called mold. Its spores almost constantly float in the air, and only under the influence of various unfavorable factors do they “wake up” and begin to actively reproduce. Fungi can grow on wood, concrete or paint. Currently, there are different types of mold. Depending on this, there are spots that look like cotton wool in black, brown, white and green. There are also glowing fungi, but they are not dangerous for basement walls.
White mold can easily destroy finishing and building materials, often even reaching the base. In this regard, owners of mold in the basement should think about getting rid of this parasite as soon as possible, otherwise they will have to do a full-fledged renovation, or even a rebuild. There are black, brown and white mold. Its color depends both on the type of fungus and on the stage of development, as well as the color of the surface where the parasite has settled.
Causes of Fluffy White Mold
- Clogged or missing ventilation shafts. Lack of air supply contributes to further mold contamination of the walls.
- Storing rotten vegetables and fruits. Such products are sources of mold.
- Use of wood products that are infected with fungus.
- Increased air humidity, constant accumulation of condensation. As a rule, this aspect depends on the first factor.
- Poor indoor air circulation.
Depending on the size of the fungal colonies, the methods of controlling parasites also differ. Without eliminating the unfavorable factor, it will be very problematic to protect the integrity of the premises and human health.
Preventive measures
The walls will need to be dried before storing food again. It would be a good idea to whitewash the ceiling, paint all surfaces, and treat the boards for shelving. Ventilation and waterproofing must be constantly checked for damage.
Prevention should be carried out annually exclusively in the summer. In this case, the air temperature should be without sudden changes that contribute to the formation of condensation. To avoid new fungal infections, wall waterproofing is always available.
Favorable conditions for fungal growth
For white mold to appear in a basement or cellar, specific conditions are required:
- Presence of spores in the air. They are transported and easily settle in the cellar on animals, products and people.
- Nutritious organic medium (wood, soil, paper or peat pots).
- Favorable microclimate (temperature about 20 degrees and high humidity). In addition, non-functioning or poor-quality ventilation in the house has a bad effect.
Certain varieties of white mold reproduce even at temperatures of 0 degrees.
It is important to pay attention to the ventilation system in the house. Normal and constant air movement prevents white mold spores from attaching to any surface. In the corners, air movement is very difficult; this is where, as a rule, colonies of hated fungi accumulate.
Ventilation removes excess moisture from the room that occurs due to too high humidity outside or a large difference in temperature. If there are fungal spores on the walls of the cellar or basement, but there are no normal conditions for reproduction, they will not even germinate. Thus, poor ventilation is a key reason for the appearance of white mold in the basement and cellar.
Prevention
After mold is removed from the cellar, it is important to create conditions under which re-infection of the room will be impossible. To do this, you need to maintain a certain microclimate:
- Check the quality of ventilation. If it does not work, troubleshoot. If there is no ventilation at all, it needs to be done.
- The basement is insulated and high-quality waterproofing is created from the outside. It is best to do this during the construction stage, but if desired, work can be carried out after its completion.
- They make a window that is periodically opened to let sunlight into the room.
There should be good air circulation in the cellar so that it does not stagnate. To do this, install open racks with lattice shelves. All products and things are laid out on these structures so that they do not come into contact with the walls.
It is important to monitor the humidity level. If condensation appears, the room is dried and the cause of its formation is eliminated. It is recommended to monitor temperature and humidity using a household thermometer and hygrometer.
White mold in the basement is dangerous for humans
Many people do not even know that white mold on walls poses a great danger not only to building materials, but also to human health and life. A ceiling or floor (especially a wooden one) affected by fungus can easily cause serious injury. , white mold in the cellar human health as follows:
- Through direct contact with the skin.
- Human circulatory and respiratory system.
- Eating foods affected by white mold.
White mold spores are toxic and multiply quite quickly. In this regard, when spores enter the human body, various diseases can develop.
Unpleasant consequences of contact with fungus:
- A variety of skin diseases that occur against the background of allergic reactions (so-called mycoses).
- Stomach upsets, attacks of nausea, vomiting, and digestive problems.
- Anemia and general exhaustion of the body.
- Diseases of the upper respiratory tract (sinusitis, severe runny nose, nosebleeds, difficulty breathing).
- Headaches and dizziness.
Long-term influence of the fungus on the human body can lead to pathologies of the kidneys and liver. In some cases, internal bleeding and emphysema occur. The risk group includes children, elderly patients, and people with weak immune systems.
Chemicals and chlorine-containing products
This includes various detergents, bleaches and disinfectants. Therefore, if you have been diagnosed with a “fluffy infection”, immediately grab bleach or bleach.
The process is quite simple:
- Immediately after mechanical treatment with a rag or brush, a highly concentrated chlorine solution should be prepared.
- Apply it to all areas affected by fungus.
Chemicals and chlorine-containing products are extremely dangerous for the human body. Work exclusively in special clothing (gown and respirator). During disinfection, the room must remain open for ventilation.
Chlorine also prevents the appearance of fleas by burning them on the vine.
White mold in cellars and basements how to fight
Having learned the main reasons for the appearance of white mold, it’s time to figure out how to get rid of white mold in the cellar .
Today there are three effective methods that make it easy to remove it from any room. Including from the basement or cellar. In addition to them, there are various chemical preparations and all sorts of folk recipes against fungus. The vast majority of these methods involve major repairs in the basement and are only required when the situation is too advanced. If the areas covered by the parasite are small and the risk of its reappearance is quite small, then special preventive techniques can be used. The most popular solution today is based on 250 ml of 40% formaldehyde and 10 liters of water. Apply it to the affected areas, and after complete drying, re-plaster and whitewash the ceiling and walls. If there is good ventilation in the room, then the fungus will no longer bother you.
More details about the methods below.
Reviews
Pavel, 45 years old
I recently discovered black mold in the corners of my basement. It turned out that condensation was accumulating on the walls. We had to urgently dry the room, and we got rid of the mold with a sulfur bomb. A very effective remedy.
Igor, 37 years old
Mold developed on the potatoes in the cellar because it was too warm. We ventilated the cellar and adjusted the ventilation. Of course, I had to throw out some of the potatoes. For prevention, all the walls were coated with bleach.
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Prevention
Treatment
How to get rid of white mold in the basement: microwave method
Professionals use microwave radiation to treat mold, which allows them to heat the infected room to a temperature of more than 60 degrees Celsius. The fungus grows in cool, damp environments and is quickly killed by too high temperatures.
The microwave installation perfectly dries not only concrete walls, but also wood.
It may seem that this method is very simple, but in fact it is impossible to apply it yourself, without special equipment and appropriate skills. Professionals use microwaves to measure the heating temperature of a room using laser pyrometers, since in this situation a regular thermometer, unfortunately, will not give an accurate result.
Using a microwave to clean white mold from a cellar or basement has many advantages:
- With this method, there is no need to use chemicals, which significantly reduces the possible occurrence of negative consequences for human health and life. The method is 100% harmless for the owner of the premises.
- Microwave radiation makes it possible to get rid of mold both outside and inside, that is, directly in the material at a depth of up to 30 cm. Microwave rays, heating the cellar or basement, completely destroy the mycelium of the fungus, completely eliminating its reappearance.
- Microwave radiation propagates through any and any surfaces, be it concrete, brick, plastic or even metal.
- Microwave radiation allows you to treat a room even in very hard-to-reach places, where treatment with chemicals is simply impossible.
Effective ways to fight
As you can see, these parasites are very harmful and dangerous. When you first discover it, you should immediately get rid of mold in the basement. Fighting mold in the cellar is hard work and requires a lot of effort, but there are effective control methods that will help remove these growths for good.
Before treating the basement, the reasons for the appearance of “life” should be removed. A comprehensive approach is necessary - this way you can not only get rid of fungus and mold at home, but also prevent the re-production of spores in the basements. It is necessary to get rid of the misfortune in several stages. We will look at how to remove fungus in the cellar and what means are best suited for this.
Preparing the premises
During the entire disinfection period, the cellar must be emptied of all items and food products. This way you can ensure full access to all settlement locations. This will help protect the products. All furniture is removed from the cellar - it should also be treated to prevent colonies from re-populating. Carrying out general cleaning. Clean all formations on walls, floors, ceilings and other surfaces.
If fungi have managed to penetrate the finishing material deeply enough, it is better to replace the damaged structure with a new one.
Wood rots especially quickly under the influence of these bacteria. If the basement floor is made of soil, then it is necessary to remove about 20 cm of soil - the entire top layer is contaminated. Next, the room should be thoroughly dried. And only after this can we begin a real war using special drugs. So, let's get the mold out of the basement.
Disinfection
Now the real fight against mold in the basement begins. There are several effective means for cleaning the cellar from mold. Let's see how to treat the cellar against mold and mildew.
Sulfur checker
The destruction of fungus is effective with vapors of sulfur dioxide gases. This product is highly recommended by experts. It is worth using it at the beginning. Using a sulfur bomb is simple - after the air supply to the basement is blocked, the bomb is placed in a tin basin and set on fire.
Next, you should quickly leave the basement and close the door tightly. Sulfur smoke also poses a danger to humans and pets. After about 12 hours, the cellar is thoroughly ventilated and dried with slaked lime. One of its properties is excellent moisture absorption.
Next, let's see how to treat the basement if there is no sulfur bomb nearby. There are still many ways to remove mold in the cellar.
Lime
You can get rid of fungus in the basement inexpensively and quickly using lime. Lime is very effective in the war against fungal colonies. It is often used for prevention. Before starting work, the cellar is pre-treated with disinfectin. The material is dissolved in water, and then the mixture is applied to all painted surfaces. This procedure is best done in the fresh air.
There are different ways to clean basements using lime. There are two folk recipes:
- Mixture with formaldehyde. So, for one bucket of water take 500 g of bleach and 200 g of formaldehyde. This composition must be coated with all surfaces in the cellar. Then the room is dried and ventilated.
- Lime mixture with copper sulfate. Here, take 1 kg of slaked lime for two buckets of water and add 100 g of vitriol. This solution is distributed using a spray bottle.
Bleaching
For those who do not know how to get rid of mold in the cellar using improvised means, there is another effective recipe. In this case, we will clean the basement with bleach. It will quickly and easily clear any colonies. In terms of efficiency, bleach is in no way inferior to a sulfur bomb. You can use Belizna from the store, but there are other drugs.
The surface is thoroughly cleaned with a wire brush. Then a solution is prepared - so, one part of “Whiteness” is dissolved in ten parts of water. To maximize the effect, you can add two tablespoons of salt to the solution. To destroy fungus in the cellar, the product is applied to all walls, ceilings and floors. For better results, the solution is applied to cotton wool and left in places where mass spores are heated.
All metal and wooden shelving should also be treated. This way we get rid of mold completely and forever. These organisms do not live on treated surfaces.
These are not all recipes. You can also remove this scourge with vodka, but not everyone will do this. Boric acid can be used. The main thing is that fighting mold at home is possible. Knowing how to get rid of fungus in cellars, you can save food and your own health.
